Jeff Abbott’s secret? Hard work and action-packed writing

Jeff Abbott’s new thriller, Downfall, introduces readers to a villain who makes Faustian promises of fortune, power and a sweet, sweet life. All he asks in return is that you commit an occasional murder.

This devilish wheeler-dealer has built a secret network of high-living assassins. But good guy Sam Capra, a former CIA man, has vowed to dismantle it before he becomes the next victim.

Which makes one wonder. Could Abbott, a Dallas native and Duncanville High School graduate, have established himself as a best-selling author by striking a Faustian deal of his own? Is that how he got the idea for Downfall (Grand Central Publishing, $27)?

“Oh, gosh, no,” Abbott says with a nervous laugh. “But it’s an interesting thought. I wish I had taken that shortcut. … No, on second thought, I don’t wish that at all.

“It’s a shortcut that no one should want to take, especially once it’s time to settle up.”

Abbott, whose book tour brings him to Dallas on Wednesday, built his devoted fan base the old-fashioned way: through hard work and action-packed, never-stop-for-a-breath storytelling.

Downfall is Abbott’s 14th novel. A three-time nominee for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award, he made his first appearance on The New York Times’ best-seller list in 2011 with Adrenaline, the debut Sam Capra thriller. Three of his novels, including Adrenaline, have been optioned for films.

Abbott talked about Downfall, his third Capra adventure, by phone from his home in Austin.

You hit the nail on the head when you titled the first Capra novel Adrenaline: The books are wall-to-wall action. Even in many of the obligatory exposition scenes, information is dispensed during gun battles or car chases. You don’t believe in letting the readers come up for air, do you?

I want them to keep turning the pages. I love it when I get an email from someone who says, “I was going to read just one more chapter and then it was two in the morning.” That’s when I feel that I’m doing my job. But hopefully what keeps people turning pages is not just the action itself, but that it’s happening to a character they have come to care about.

Sam often drops his guard when he shouldn’t. He’ll underestimate his opponent in a fight. He believes people when they lie to him. He walks into dangerous situations under-prepared. Is it because he’s rusty after having been booted from the CIA? Or is he not as smart as he thinks he is?

I don’t think it’s either of those. I think it’s because he’s 26 years old. He’s noticeably younger than a lot of the other suspense-novel protagonists that are out in fiction. And that was a very conscious choice of mine. I wanted him to be less experienced.

He was with the CIA for only three or four years before his career ended. So he makes mistakes that others might not make. Of course, I don’t think anybody would expect the soccer mom in Downfall to be an accomplished fighter who can nearly take him out.

Now Sam owns bars in cities all over the world, including in London, New York, Amsterdam and San Francisco (where Downfall is set). Where can we expect to see him next? And is it barely possible, given your Texas ties, that Sam owns a bar somewhere in Texas?

I have finished book four and have turned it in to my editors. It’s set in Miami and Puerto Rico. I haven’t been tempted to bring Sam to Texas yet. I think it’s because I wrote so many books that had Texas settings, it’s fun for me to explore other settings.

But I think it’s for sure he has to own a bar in Texas. But which city in Texas? I have a friend who owns a bar on Sixth Street in Austin. He is sort of my consultant on all the details of owning a bar. He would probably argue that it has to be Austin. But we’ll see.

What’s been exciting is that readers have started suggesting bars and cities that they think Sam should visit in a book. That’s been fun, because it tells me that readers are truly invested in the series.

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.